The present invention relates to trolling motors. In particular, the present invention relates to a bow mount for mounting a trolling motor to a bow of a boat.
Fishing boats and vessels are often equipped with a trolling motor for providing a relatively small amount of thrust to slowly and quietly propel the boat or vessel while the operator is fishing. Most outboard trolling motors are typically powered by a battery and are mounted to either the bow or the stern of the boat or vessel. Bow mounted trolling motors are generally mounted to the deck at the bow of a boat by means of a base plate screwed or otherwise fastened to the bow of the boat and a chassis, also known as a frame or bracket, coupled to the trolling motor and configured to mate with the base plate. The base plate typically includes a pair of upwardly and inwardly extending dovetails while the chassis includes a pair of downwardly and outwardly extending dovetails. To mount the trolling motor and its associated chassis to the base plate on the bow of the boat, the pair of outwardly extending dovetails must be precisely and accurately aligned end-to-end with the pair of inwardly extending dovetails so that the outwardly extending dovetails may be slid through the axial opening between the inwardly extending dovetails. Once the trolling motor and its chassis have been aligned and slid adjacent to the base plate such that the chassis and the base plate overlie one another, a thumb screw is inserted through an opening in the chassis and into the base plate to prevent axial movement of the chassis relative to the base plate.
Though commonly employed on many trolling motors, such bow mounts are tedious and time consuming to use. As discussed above, to secure the chassis to the base plate, the chassis and the base plate must be positioned end to end with precise alignment of the inwardly and outwardly extending dovetails. Such alignment can be extremely difficult, especially with larger and heavier trolling motors. To slide the chassis and the base plate relative to one another such that the chassis overlies the base plate requires that the chassis and its dovetails be precisely moved parallel to the base plate and its dovetails to prevent the chassis and the base plate from becoming jammed. Even after the chassis and the base plate have been aligned and slid relative to one another, mounting the trolling motor is still not complete until the thumb screw has been secured in place.
Thus, there is a continuing need for a trolling motor bow mount that enables an operator to quickly and easily releasably mount the trolling motor to the bow of a boat and to quickly and easily dismount the trolling motor from the bow of a boat.
The present invention provides a bow mount for a trolling motor. The bow mount includes a base, a chassis, an actuation mechanism between the chassis and the base and a retaining mechanism. The base is adapted to be mounted to a bow of a boat and includes a pair of longitudinally extending spaced side channels. The chassis is adapted to be coupled to the trolling motor and includes a pair of spaced longitudinally extending side projections. The actuation mechanism is positioned between the chassis and the base and is configured to move at least one of the side projections and the side channels in a transverse direction relative to one another such that the projections extend into the channels. The retaining mechanism is configured to removably retain the projections in the channels.
The present invention also provides a method for releasably mounting a trolling motor to a bow of a boat. The method includes providing a base on the bow of the boat and having a pair of spaced side channels, providing a trolling motor assembly having a pair of spaced projections, lowering the trolling motor assembly onto the base such that at least one of the side projections extends between the pair of spaced side channels, moving at least one of the side projections and the side channels in a sideways direction relative to one another such that the projections extend into the channels and releasably retaining the projections in the channels to releasably mount the trolling motor to the bow of the boat.
The present invention also provides a bow mount for a trolling motor, wherein the bow mount includes a base assembly, a chassis and a locking assembly. The base assembly is adapted to be mounted to a bow of a boat and includes a first one of a male member and a female member. The chassis is adapted to be coupled to the trolling motor and includes a second one of the male member and the female member. The locking assembly includes a first actuation surface and a second actuation surface. The first actuation surface is coupled to one of the base assembly and the chassis. The second actuation surface is movably coupled to the other of the base assembly and the chassis. The second actuation surface is movable between a locking position in which a second actuation surface engages the first actuation surface to retain the male member in the female member to lock the chassis to the base assembly in at least one direction, and a releasing position in which the second actuation surface is disengaged from the first actuation surface to permit the male member to be removed from the female member such that the chassis may be released from the base assembly in at least one direction.
The present invention also provides a trolling motor adapted to be mounted to a base having a pair of spaced side channels in a bow of a boat. The motor includes a lower propulsion unit, a shaft supporting the lower propulsion unit, a chassis supporting the shaft, an actuator and a retainer. The chassis includes a pair of spaced side projections. The actuator is adapted to move the side projections in at least one sideways direction into the side channels. The retainer is adapted to releasably retain the projections in the channels.